1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a door lock assembly for automotive vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An example of a door lock assembly of this kind is disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 2-30868 (Feb. 1, 1990). The disclosed door lock assembly includes a base secured inside a door hinged on the vehicle body in freely swinging fashion, a latch mechanism provided on the base which includes a latch and a pawl and is free to engage with and disengage from a striker provided on the vehicle body, a lifting lever provided on the base for operating the latch mechanism to disengage the striker and the latch mechanism, an opening lever provided on and connected to each of door handles the base for manipulating the lifting lever via an opening lifting lever, a locking lever provided on the base for manipulating the opening lifting lever to engage and disengage a transmission path from the opening lever to the lifting lever, and a key lever coupled with the locking lever. Various operating members provided on the vehicle door such as key lever and locking lever are connected to the opening lift lever, via respective rods.
In order to prevent the locking lever or opening lifting lever in a door lock assembly from being manipulated unlawfully, usually the lifting lever, opening lever, locking lever, opening lifting lever and key lever are covered by a protective cover secured to the base. In the door lock assembly described above, however, the fact that the operating members are connected to the opening lever, key lever and locking lever requires that the protective cover be formed to have openings large enough to enable the connection to the operating members. As a consequence, an implement such as a piece of wire for tampering with the locking lever or opening lifting lever can easily be inserted from the opening at the connection between the key lever and its operating member and the opening at the connection between the opening lifting lever and its operating member along the path of connection between these operating members and the key lever and opening lifting lever, which are disposed on the exterior side of the passenger compartment. As a result, the vehicle is prone to theft.